1/8" Hollow "Puffy" Mandrel w/side hole

Details

Make hollow beads much easier than the old fashioned way, using these stainless steel tube mandrels with a small blow hole on their side. The Puffy Mandrels are 12" long and have a small hole drilled in their side near one end of the tube. Dip the end of the Puffy Mandrel, that has the side blow hole, in mandrel release, well past the side hole, as you would a regular mandrel. Place your finger over the dipped end of the mandrel and gently blow through the other end to clear out the mandrel release from the side blow hole, leaving the dipped end of the mandrel tube plugged. As with the traditional way of making hollow beads, start by creating two disks of glass on either side of the side blow hole. After the symmetrical disks are formed, bring their edges together using a graphite paddle. A Now is where the Puffy Mandrel shows its stuff. Heat the glass to be pliable and gently blow thorough the cool end of the mandrel to form the shape. The ¼" Hollow Bead Mandrel is welded sealed at the end where the hollow bead is formed. Puffy Mandrels are a little delicate. The ¼" Hollow Bead Mandrel is made from our Heavy Wall Stainless Steel Tubing and is incredibly durable.